How Chicago's Public Housing Transformation Can Inform Federal Policy

Chicago has long dominated the national discourse about urban poverty in general and public housing in particular, and the policy changes that affect Chicago tend to have repercussions for national policy. The Chicago Housing Authority's1999 Plan for Transformation sought to undo the mistakes of decades of federal policy that had left Chicago and too many other cities blighted by large, decaying public housing properties. Although other cities like Atlanta and San Francisco followed suit, the CHA's Plan was the first -- and largest -- citywide public housing transformation initiative, representing an enormous investment of public and private resources.In many respects, the CHA's story shows the potential of public housing transformation: attractive new developments, better quality of life for most residents, and a better-functioning housing authority. However, the CHA's story also raises cautions about the limitations and the potential risks of this bold -- and costly -- approach and about what else it will take to help address the problems of deep poverty that keep too many public housing families from moving toward self-sufficiency

Transformed Housing: Major Improvements in CHA Residents' Quality of Life

Examines changes in living conditions for distressed public housing residents who moved to mixed-income or rehabilitated developments or the private market. Recommends vigilant monitoring by the housing authority to prevent deterioration over time

Escaping the Hidden War: Safety Is the Biggest Gain for CHA Families

Examines changes in residents' sense of safety and exposure to drugs, gangs, and violence after moving from distressed public housing to mixed-income or rehabilitated developments or the private market. Makes recommendations for sustaining gains

The Health Crisis for CHA Families

Outlines a study of long-term trends in the health status of Chicago's distressed public housing residents, including chronic illness, disability, mortality rates, and anxiety. Examines limited effects of moving to better housing and their implications

Improving the Lives of Public Housing's Most Vulnerable Families

The CHA's ambitious Plan for Transformation necessitated relocating thousands of vulnerable families. Although the conditions residents were living in at the outset were deplorable, the relocation was involuntary and was a major disruption to theirlives.Many residents were extremely vulnerable, suffering from serious mental and physical health problems that could be exacerbated by major stress.The CHA had littleexperience in providing effective relocation services and even less in providing wraparound case management that could help stabilize residents' lives and help them move toward self-sufficiency. Given these circumstances, there were reasons for serious concern about how residents would fare and whether they might end up even worse off as a result of relocation.Our ten-yearstudy of CHA families shows that most residents are better off overall as a result of the Plan for Transformation; they live in higher-quality housing in neighborhoods that are generally safer and offer a bette rquality of life for them and their children. However, incorporating intensive supportive services for the most vulnerable public housing residents produces additional gains.Our findings indicate positive outcomes on a range of adult health and employment-related outcomes that are key to improving family stability

After Wells: Where Are the Residents Now?

Examines the types of housing residents of distressed public housing relocated to -- the private market, mixed-income or traditional public housing, or unassisted -- and neighborhood crime, poverty, and joblessness data, as well as satisfaction

Are HOPE VI Families at Greater Risk for Homelessness?

Examines whether federal HOPE VI relocation initiatives increase the chances that original residents will be at greater risk of homelessness. Based on surveys of residents at five Hope VI public housing sites

Girls in the 'Hood: The Importance of Feeling Safe

Looks at how adolescent girls benefited from moving out of extremely poor, high-crime neighborhoods into lower poverty areas through the Moving to Opportunity program. Focuses on reduced "female fear" as one reason why girls benefited more than boys

Understanding how place matters for kids

Community development